6th Grade Reading Comprehension Passages

Reading Passages, Questions & Answers - Sixth Grade

Below you’ll find 6th grade reading comprehension passages along with questions and answers and vocabulary activities. These printable 6th grade reading exercises are great for students who need extra reading skills development or just want some extra practice!

The History of Juneteenth

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, is a significant day in American history that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The name “Juneteenth” is a blend of “June” and “nineteenth,” marking the day in 1865 when Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas…

Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones: A World of Difference

Have you ever been watching when a tv weatherperson points to a large, white spiral of storm clouds spinning over the Earth on their video screen? If so, then you’ve gotten a small look at what the most powerful storm in the world looks like: a tropical cyclone. Tropical cyclones start as…

Hallowe’en in America

The Book of Hallowe’en was published in 1919 and described Halloween customs around the world. This passage is about how the holiday was celebrated then. —————————————————- While the original customs of Hallowe’en are being forgotten more and more across the ocean, Americans have fostered them, and are making this an…

Stickeen

Naturalist John Muir went to Alaska in 1879 to explore the area. He was joined by Rev. Young who had a small black dog named Stickeen. Stickeen was a quiet, independent, and intelligent dog. Early one morning Muir went to explore a nearby glacier. Stickeen followed him, and together they…

A Pirate’s Life for Me

Most babies’ first words are something like “Dada” or “Mama” or “ball.”  Mine was “Ahoy!” But that was considered normal when you’re born and raised on a pirate ship. My father was the first mate on the fearsome sailing ship known as the Salty Dog. He was the trusted friend…

Old Dog

With great big brown eyes And a heart pure and true, She wagged her long tail, While she looked at you. Let’s go for a walk, She tried to say. But you stared at your phone, And the dog went away. She brought you a toy, Trying to get you…

Primary Source: Comanche, the Army Horse and Hero

On June 25, 1876, the U.S. Army 7th Calvary under the command of Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer engaged in battle with Native Americans, including the Lakota, the Dakota, and the Arapaho tribes.  The army troops were vastly outnumbered. All the soldiers with Custer when the battle began, totaling five…

Friendship in a Bottle

Ari was a lonely lad who lived on a large island called Iceland. His village was a fishing hamlet along the green, rugged coastline, and Ari often wondered what lay beyond the horizon. The days were long and cold, and he spent many hours of silence in his tiny cottage…

The Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact  was a document written and signed by the Pilgrims as they arrived in the New World in 1620. The group had originally planned to go to the Hudson River area, which was part of the Virginia Colony. Bad weather, however, put them farther north, near the coast of Massachusetts. Since they…

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

The little bird perched itself on the tree branch outside Vanessa’s bedroom window. It trilled an energetic song as the first pale yellow rays of sunshine peeked over the horizon. “Oh my gosh, what is that noise?” she complained to herself, pulling her bed sheets over her head in an…